Not The Way They Seem
by dragonfly360
Summary: Sakura? A fangirl? Buy yourself some new eyes tosspot. GaaSaku one-shot. Brief NaruSasu. Sort-of-AU. Post timeskip. Rated M for infrequent strong language and adult themes.


This is just trying to fit several ideas into one story(because I get ideas about everything, and sometimes they can fit together nicely). More GaaSaku...I'm now officially as obsessed with this pairing, as much as I am with Gaara. I just suddenly realised that all my naruto fanfics are GaaSaku, GaaOC and NaruSasu...I must try and do fanfics about other pairings... Anyway, _'...erm...'_ is thoughts, "..._erm_..." Is a stressed word, "...erm..." is somethng said and...that's about it really. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto...Sad, huh?

XX

I watch apathetically as Sakura walks away, managing to look dissappionted but hopeful with her quick, short and energetic strides. But something's not right. Thinking back to every time she's walked away, exactly the same, I decide derisively that she should give up already. Why does she remain hopeful, even after being turned down so harshly? How can she?

...Maybe she's retarded. Would explain a lot.

She walks off the path onto the grass area, returning to the picnic table where she sits with her friends at lunch.

That's another thing. One would expect her to sit with her fellow fangirls, not people like my sister or Neji's cousin, and thinking about it, she always smiles at Naruto before she asks her required questions. And there's always moments, when Sasuke says 'no' again, where her eyes flash in anger, but then she composes herself and smiles naively and innocently. You would think they'd notice, but of course no-one's looking. And there's always those moments where she has this bored expression...Maybe...

I wonder if I should watch her some more, but then decide against it. But this will definitely require more...'investigation'.

I turn my gaze back to the distance, listening to the conversation taking place around a certain tree, the one nobody else uses. It was claimed by us over three years ago, when we were fourteen. Since then not much has changed. Sasuke got emoer, and yes, that word exists, I say so, Shikamaru got lazier, Naruto got louder, Neji...got a little warmer and less 'destiny this and destiny that', Lee got more extreme with the Gai worshipping, Shino got more secretive, Chouji hasn't changed at all, Kiba toned down a little, and I...I guess I got a bit better, less antisocial, I won't terrorise anyone unless they really annoy me, in general I'm more 'human'.

"Mou, Sasuke-teme, you should give Sakura-chan a chance!"

I roll my eyes, knowing everyone but Naruto is doing the same.

Everyone else in the group knows exactly why Sasuke won't spare a second to even look at the pink-haired girl, he's completely smitten with his blonde best friend slash rival. Sasuke has liked Naruto for well over two years now, even though the first eight months or so were spent in denial, he now accepts his feelings. Might as well, Naruto has two people crushing on him, and he still doesn't realise. Sometimes I wonder how he's even managed to survive this long. He is just so completely, utterly and _frustratingly_ oblivious.

"Dobe."

Sasuke just says, turning away and not deeming the question intelligent enough for a response.

"Teme!"

Naruto forgets his question, puffing out his now red cheeks, raising a fist in anger.

"Naruto,"

The balled hand drops, and the blonde turns, blinking.

"Yes?"

"Sakura is a fangirl."

Kiba says, expecting that to clear everything up. Naruto pouts, scrunching up his face.

"Yeah, but--"

"She is a _fangirl_. See reason...now."

I interrupt. He deflates, shoulders slumping.

"Alright, but there's still no need to be so mean!"

He turns again, facing Sasuke's back. The latter doesn't move, apart from resting his chin on his locked fingers. He closes his eyes, looking exasperated.

Hearing Naruto's loud voice now intermingling with the others sitting around the tree, I uncross my arms and shift, until I'm lying on the branch, with my arms now behind my head.

"Gaara?"

I turn my head downwards and to the side, showing I'm listening.

"I'll wake you up."

I turn my head upwards again, hidden, and smile.

"...Hn."

I just know Naruto is giving the only thing he can see, my elbow, his wide toothy grin.

He knows what his offer means, and my acceptance. It might not seem alot to you, but it is to me.

Naruto moves and sits down, leaning against the tree, directly below, crossing his legs and placing his arms beside his head. I, in turn prepare myself for the only halfway peaceful 'sleep' I can ever get.

_'I'm here.'_

_'I know. Thank you.'_

Sometimes, we just understand each other.

XX

I can feel someone's gaze on me.

Someone's very intense gaze.

It's making the hairs rise on the back of my neck. Does he _have_ to stare? Have I just grown a third head? Fourth head? Oh no, wait, I don't need to do that, I already have pink hair.

Damnit.

Some people might think that either I haven't noticed the fixation on myself, or that I have and I'm daydreaming and hoping that it's Sasuke.

Yeah, right. Puh-lease.

Gullible fools.

I know who's staring at me, the only person that's got an inkling of what's going on. Of course, Shikamaru would have worked it out, probably in a few minutes, if he ever opened his eyes and observed for more than a millisecond... and maybe Sasuke would know if looking at me didn't make his anti-female stomach churn.

Yes, I know that he doesn't like women. And I'm also aware that I'm included in that category, thank you.

Anyway, at first I thought he was asexual, which was probably right at the time, and then I noticed...well, the things girls notice. He would get angry at himself for seemingly no reason, and at random times, but only around a certain someone. He would look at said person differently, first with denial and disbelief, then just disbelief, and now...longing. I'm not an idiot, despite what you may think.

And to be honest, I can't really blame you. I mean, come on, I act like such a...a stupid, blind, irritating, stubborn...! Wait, I am stubborn.

...I meant, I act like a stupid, blind, irritating, useless, should-be-run-over-by-a-fucking-bus fangirl!

Ugh, I don't even want to think about it anymore.

Gaara finally stops looking at me as I sit down, and start to chat and slowly eat my obento.

_'I wonder why he looks at me anyway. No-one else does, not even Naruto or Lee.'_

_'...He can't like me. Nu-uh. Noooo. No way in hell.'_

_'And I most definitely do not like him.'_

_'Nope.'_

_'...Fuck.'_

XX

"See you tomorrow!"

Waving, I say the usual, almost traditional, goodbye to my friends. I notice the carefully hidden worried glances the cast at me, Hinata timidly smiling, Temari, Ino and Tenten giving me 'we better' looks before heading off their separate ways.

Aware that someone is watching me again, I turn and walk away, humming tunelessly as I swing my keys around my finger. For the first time I sense him start to follow me, at a distance, of course. Knowing that, for the first time, the 'person' is following me, I walk quite quickly.

As soon as I've turned the corner onto my tiny and secluded side road, and no people from the small high shool can see me, I think dismissively,

_'Oh to hell with it all. I'm tired of pretending to be intelligent but thick as pigshit.'_

Sighing, I put my keys into my pocket and immediately halt the irritating humming. Completely dropping the facade I keep up so I can live an almost normal life, I think what the reprocussions will be if he ever tells anyone, the _wrong_ anyone.

But still, I can't bring myself to care.

And that's really the problem, isn't it?

XX

I watch Haruno again as she waves to her friends. She turns and takes her keys out of her pocket and flicks them in a circle with her wrist. She walks away quite rapidly, humming.

Deciding to follow her this time, I nonchanantly start to walk after her. I see Temari, waiting for Kankurou, stare at me confusedly. I glance at my sister and shoot her a look. She just raises an eyebrow and then half smiles half smirks.

Turning the corner a few seconds after Haruno, I almost miss her, even though she stands out.

Rather than quick steps, she's walking slowly, slouching, looking lazy and calm, scuffing the pavement with her mid-calf boots. As I watch, she takes off her pink jacket, revealing a black tank top on underneath. She takes off one strap of her bag, swinging it around so she can stuff the garment into it. As she does this, the pink clothing is held away from her body, with only two fingers, like it's disgusting. Leaving her bag hanging off on one side, she stuffs her hands into her jean pockets.

She must know I'm following, and decided to just choose the simplest and easiest way. The sudden change makes me put most of the pieces together.

I start walking faster, catching up to her and walking shoulder to shoulder. She doesn't make an move or sound to show she's surprised. I don't acknowledge her presence, but after a while I speak.

"Schizo?"

"No." She says, her voice bored and monotonous, "Dysthymic."

I think back to what I know of the depression disorder.

"So, the whole fangirl thing, all an act?"

She nods, taking a left. I follow, questions swimming in my mind.

"Why do you act?"

"Because they asked me to."

She glances at me, before looking away again.

"...Who knows?"

"Ino, Tenten, Hinata, your sister, Naruto, and now you."

"Why did you tell me?"

"...I don't really care of you know or not."

By now we've arrived at her front door, and she unlocks it. Stepping inside, she looks back at me, bright eyes somehow dim.

"You gunna come in?"

I shrug and follow her, dropping my black bag next to her red one. Looking around, I see she lives in an apartment, quite small, but everything is very packed together so it looks very cosy and lived in. The living room is joined with the kitchen and small table is between the two, with an open door revealing a bathroom, complete with a shower slash bath, a toilet and cabinet on the wall with a mirror on it. The tiles are a very light blue colour, with all the other rooms having wooden flooring. The kitchen is quite basic, a white fridge, a small oven and hob, a dishwasher, a set of drawers, and three cupboards. On one of the counters is a microwave, and a coffee maker. The living room has one couch and an armchair, with the latter slightly separate from the other and turned in a different direction, not towards the TV with a DVD player on a long table with drawers in it. There's also a green carpet in between that and the couch. It looks very thick and soft, the kind you want to curl your toes in as soon as you see it. Another door is visible, her bedroom I assume.

Heading over to her kitchen, she puts on the kettle and motions for me to sit down in the armchair. I do, and lean back in the squishy piece of furniture.

I study her profile as she gets out the things she needs before heading towards the bathroom, opening the cabinet and pulling out two different bottles of pills. Coming back in she pours herself a glass of water and takes one pill from each, quickly swallowing them in succession before drinking a bit more water and putting the empty glass in the dishwasher.

The water is boiled now and a minute later she hands me a mug, sitting down on the sofa. She blows the top, and eyes a plant standing on her window sill.

"Haruno."

She switches her focus onto me.

"Just call me Sakura."

I nod.

"What exactly are your symptoms."

She looks thoughtful.

"Actually, that's quite a hard question to answer. You see, it all started in childhood, so I actually thought I was normal and that everyone else was hyper. Growing up around Naruto only helped this view." I smile a little around my cup, held up to my lips even tohugh I'm not drinking it yet, "But I'm quite sure I'm less energetic, I don't find many things fun as you would, I don't have much of an appetite, I can't sleep very well, I'm extremely pessimistic and apathetic, and obviously I feel depressed most of the time...I think that's about it." She takes a sip, and only after a second she puts down her mug on the small table to the side and winces.

"Ah, don't drink your tea just yet."

I chuckle, watching as she opens her mouth and sticks out her tongue. From the bright red colour I know she must have scalded it at least.

_'Stop staring...you idiot...' _I shift uneasily a bit, and look toward Sakura again, trying not to gawp.

I twist my mouth, trying not to laugh. I clear my throat, stopping her efforts to cross her eyes and see her tongue.

"That medication, it's working, right?"

She nods. "Yeah, I'm finding myself doing completely random shite and acting like I'm on a sugar high. But I've been taking them for about four months now, so it's gotten alot better. Up and downs, but I should be cured in a few days, but I'll still be pessimistic, lazy, and some things I still won't get or find fun."

"Atleast you have an excuse."

I drawl, thinking back to some things I've observed over the years which I do not get the appeal of. A grin slowly forms on Sakura's face, turning into a laugh.

"Hmm...I guess so."

She giggles taking another sip. She almost slams the cup down.

"Oh, for...!" She trails of into muttering, sounding remarkably like a sailor.

Shrunching up her nose she sticks out her tongue, and my eyes are drawn to it again.

"Sakura...?"

"Hm?"

She looks at me, picking up her mug and wrapping her hands around it.

"How...exactly...would you react if I were to kiss you right now?"

XX

I blink, then I put my mug down, and put my hands together.

Trying to quell the rising excitement and exhilaration, I calmly reply.

"I'm not quite sure. But I think I would probably jump your bones."

"Oh." There's a silence that lasts about three seconds, before he stands up and comes towards me. "Good."

He leans down and crushes himself against me. My arms immediately reach up to wrap around his neck and pull him down. He sits and pulls me onto him, licking my bottom lip as he does so, making me open my mouth. After a heavenly...four minutes or so, we break apart and he stares at me amusingly.

"I take it you find this fun then."

He smirks.

When did they get so hot?

...Actually, I've always found them hot...They come with the dark, mysterious, dangerous, bad-boy type. I've always had a weakness there.

Or maybe just for one bad-boy. An extremely sexy and handsome bad-boy.

Hmmm...

I lean down and kiss him again, smiling when I feel his hands slide under my top to wander across my back.

"Perhaps...you would like...to see...the rest of the house?"

I can feel him smirk as I breathlessly talk between kisses.

"Of course."

XX

The next day shows me looking the same as usual when I show up at the gates, wating as normal. But still, as soon as they appear they can tell that something's different. Something's changed.

Temari raises an eyebrow, questioning look on her face, before she figures it out, putting the very obvious two and two together.

"Told you all you needed was a bit of therapy."

She grins and I just laugh and shake my head.

Ino is the second to come to the same conclusion, and she grins too and winks at me, causing me to blush. Tenten and Hinata just look on with confused expressions and then share a glance and shrug. We all head into the school building, chatting and joking as usual.

XX

The next couple of days pass in a blur, but I don't see Gaara much. Not at all during torture time, but after he follows me home, now knowing the way. Thinking back to the first time, I should've probably been scared by the stalker-ish way he decided he needed to know what's going on. But of course, he doesn't look and see things the way others do. He was curious, so he needed to find out. He didn't know where I live, so he had to follow me. He wanted to kiss me, so he did...Damn. Don't go there, you'll just make things worse and time pass even slower. Actually, that's probably why it seems time has slowed. (I really need to see him more often... How about all the time?)I stay with my friends and he stays with his, although that line is getting pretty damn blurred, with Naruto, Neji, Kiba and Shino coming over frequently, much more so than before.

Maybe because I haven't been going to them for the past week.

But now that I'm cured, I'm going to go over. But not for Sasuke. I'm missing my boyfriend already.

That sounds so cool, huh? Yeah, thought so.

I try hard not to smirk widely as I head over to the tree, I'm going to really enjoy this. Obviously because Sasuke'll still be thinking that he has a very loyal fan asking for a date again.

XX

I watch her approach again, thinking that she probably won't drop the act until...well, until she doesn't need it and she's cured.

Sasuke sighs and doesn't even wait for her to ask as soon as he spots her.

"No, Sakura, I will not go on a date with you. Give up already."

She just raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms, one leg sticking out more than the other.

"You mean you haven't worked i out already, Sas_uke_?"

The slight but quite obvious stressing has him turning towards her immediately, looking confused.

"Of course you haven't. I forgot. Your head is too far up your arse. Or is it...something else?"

He still doesn't quite know what she's talking about, other than the knowledge that she's aware of his sexuality, but he sees red at the insult, especially since Kiba and Naruto are roaring their heads off; Lee looking shocked but amused and Shikamaru having faked a cough. Shino's reaction is impossible to know, courtesy of his large coat, but the corners of his eyes are scrunched up a little and he's shaking, meaning he's probably laughing silently. Neji has his lips pursed together, trying to resist temptation for his friend. Chouji has actually stopped eating for a second to gape at the child progidy before he chuckles warmly and returns to eating potato chips. I smirk, snickering, sounding evil as I watch Sasuke's blush grow from the bridge of his nose to his entire face.

"But nevermind." She smiles warmly, but not seductively, more like friendly or sisterly.

"I'm actually here to see someone that is most definitely not you. Or maybe I could stay?"

I lean my head back and smirk at the branch above me, as I'm now in the same position as Naruto was yesterday, leaning against the bottom of the tree. Sakura obviously notices, having been watching me intently since she was able to locate me.

"Cool."

She smiles again, and then promptly walks towards me and sits down on my lap. My arms automatically go around her to keep her up and she grins at me.

"Hey Gaara."

I lean down and kiss her.

"...I've never had a good hello kiss before."

"Hn."

She just grins widely, twisting herself until she's got her back pressed to my chest. I rest my chin on her shoulder and rest my arms around her waist.

"Hello Sakura-chan!"

Someone finally decides to break the shocked silence that ensued after the laughing stopped.

"Hey Naruto."

"You finally got with Gaara! Mou, I've been waiting for ages!"

"That must have been _terrible_ for you!"

"It was! It was awful! Awful!"

"Aww sorry about that."

She smiles and laughs again, looking amused and teasing.

After about two minutes Temari, Ino, Tenten and Hinata all notice exactly where she is. They start walking over, sitting down at the identical picnic bench next to the tree.

Kankurou and I notice immediately the tiny blush on Temari's face as she places herself next to a dozing Shikamaru. I share a look with my brother, and he nods and grins crookedly.

Sakura notices and nudges me.

"Don't you dare!" She whispers in my ear, "Imagine how annoyed you would be if I had a brother trying to keep me away from you!"

I pause, and make a sour face, wanting to sulk. The picture painted isn't a pleasant one and I know I'll have to stay away and not interfere...For now.

I look down at her. Smiling, and laughing occasionally, leaning back against me.

Sometimes I think about this all. What would have happened if I had never noticed? If I had never figured out she was acting for the sake of others? Where would she be? Where would we be? But, no reason to get caught up with 'what if's' now. But now I'm wondering if she's pretending now too. She must be, sure she's almost normal but...I think she's still acting somewhat. For them. She knows I know, and she doesn't care. She never cared. When I followed her, when I watched her, when she sallowed her pride to ask out a guy she doesn't even like, and then did it again and again, every day, when she had to act and not be herself...I would hate it.

I lean down and whisper in her ear.

"Don't...They know."

She looks up at me with wide eyes, before her face slowly turns into a small, small smile. She curles up, turning and bringing her knees up. She leans her head against my chest and just looks at me. I stare back at her. We notice the knowing smiles being passed around, but ignore them. Then they notice Naruto glancing at a certain someone every few seconds, and Hinata smiles, and pushes him discreetly over. He lands on Sasuke's lap, looking terrified at what's going to happen to him. He lifts his head up a bit, blushing hard, raising a hand to rub the back of his head.

"A-ah. Gomen Sas--"

He stops talking as he gets pulled up roughly, and kissed just as roughly.

"Troublesome."

Shikamaru mutters, blushing just a little bit as he looks away, glancing between my sister and Ino, looking confused and annoyed. Hinata giggles as the two completely forget where they are and that they're not alone.

"Nice matchmaking."

Sakura says to Hinata, smiling. Said girl blushes, looking furtively at pair to make sure they didn't hear that comment, unaware that her next week will be filled with several hundred ramen coupons and a pet poodle.

XX

I did want to make this longer, but I just wanted to end it there. More NaruSasu at the end, a teeny bit of angst and a failed attempt at humor. I give up --'. Maybe my sense of humor is just wacked.

Arg Gaara's POV was hard to do.

Review, and I will love you longer than long time.


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